


Out Of The Woods

by goodgirlfaith (boomersoonerash)



Series: Out Of The Woods [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Actor Liam, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Actors, Arguing, Break Up, California, Dancing, F/M, First Kiss, First Love, Hospitals, Jealousy, Loss of Virginity, Necklaces, New Year's Eve, New York, Sexual Content, Valentine's Day, Weddings, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-06 01:51:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5398361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/pseuds/goodgirlfaith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After receiving a wedding invitation from Liam, Audrey begins to remember some of her biggest moments with her ex.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Out Of The Woods

**Author's Note:**

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Out Of The Woods

Audrey chewed on her lip as she forced a smile as she read over the invitation in her hands. It was an invitation to Liam's wedding. A wedding that wouldn't include her as his wife much like everyone had always thought she'd be. They had dated briefly, a year at most but before that they had been friends for much longer.

"Audrey you home?" a voice asked and Audrey turned her head to see her mother standing in the doorway just giving her a funny look. "I've been calling your name for the last five minutes."

Laughing Audrey sighed and stood up as she walked to her mother. Janet Harlow was the spitting image of her daughter and Audrey sometimes resented that fact, especially when people would confuse the two for each other. "I guess I did get lost in my thoughts," she blushed as she handed the wedding invitation to her mother.

Janet reached out and took the invitation from Audrey, eying it for much longer than she probably should have, "Liam is getting married?" she asked and Audrey almost had to laugh at her mother's apparent shock.

"It seems that way yeah," Audrey nodded as she forced a smile trying to be happy about that fact but she really wasn't happy. How could she be happy?

"And you are okay with this?" Janet asked as she stepped out onto the porch where her daughter was. "I mean I know you two only dated briefly but you guys have always been so close. You guys have always meant so much to each other and everyone was so sure you two would be together."

Audrey sighed at her mom's words, "I guess I am going to have to be okay," she said knowing she would. "I mean he isn't mine anymore and hasn't been for a two years."

"But it seems just like yesterday," Janet spoke sadly as she went to the porch swing and sat down. "Doesn't it seem that way to you as well."

Nodding Audrey sat down beside her mom, "It does," she confirmed as she let her mind go back to her first memory of Liam when they were together. Well it wasn't her first memory but it was the first memory of when she knew she loved him and when she had maybe let herself believe that they could be together forever like everyone else had thought too but even then it seemed Liam had other intentions and maybe he always had.  
__________________________________________________________________

Laying on Liam's couch nineteen year old Audrey Harlow took a deep breath as Liam held the old Polaroid camera out and took a picture of them. She always hated having her picture taken but yet whenever Liam wanted to take a picture of her or them she'd let him and today had been no different.

Liam had gotten the camera at some old vintage store and had been excited to show her when she came by his apartment that day. Somehow he had said he wanted to take a picture of them and at first she had protested loudly but then he had used his charm. He had said he wanted something to remember their three month anniversary by and Audrey had felt her heart swell up and she had agreed.

She knew deep down she had agreed just because he remembered their anniversary and she liked that, even if she hadn't remembered their anniversary. It seemed to Audrey that three months of dating the man who had been her best friend since they were both five had flown entirely way too fast and how could she ever really remember exactly what day it was that he asked her to be his steady girlfriend.

All Audrey could really remember about when Liam asked her out was that it had been after a day of hiking in the woods and maybe that was some symbolism of how their relationship would be because they had gotten lost and she had asked him if they were out of the woods yet and he had looked at her with a small smile and told her no but that he was glad to be stuck with her and if she had no objections he wanted to be stuck with her for much longer.

Audrey had been dumb at first but eventually she came around and realized that Liam was asking her to be his girlfriend.

"Audrey are you listening to me?" Liam asked and Audrey came out of her thoughts a blush rising on her cheeks.

"No," Audrey admitted out loud as she blushed again. "I was just thinking," she smiled as she sat up on the couch and looked down at Liam who was sitting on the floor. "What did you want?"

Liam gave Audrey a smile before holding the picture out to her, "I think it turned out well don't you?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

Taking the picture from Liam, Audrey examined it and she felt herself stunned at how well the color was in the picture and for a second she almost thought that maybe just maybe the world wasn't as black and white as she normally saw it, especially with the smile Liam seemed to be giving her as he looked at her from where he had sat on the floor as he took the selfie of them with the camera.

"I think it got the color of my hair well," Audrey smirked as she handed him the picture back. "And your smile is to die for in it," she whispered before she leaned in to kiss him. It was when he kissed her back that Audrey knew it. She just knew it as much as she knew how to breathe.

She, Audrey Diane Harlow was in love with Liam James Payne.

Maybe with this realization she and Liam would be okay. Maybe their relationship could last like everyone seemed so sure it would.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Sighing to herself Audrey ran a hand through her red hair. It was Christmas day and she had gotten into an argument with Liam. It was something she hadn't wanted to happen but since the fall and both of them going away to different colleges on separate coasts she figured that of course that would cause distance and strain between couples and well they had only been dating six months and they were still getting to know each other even if they had spent every minute together as children.

Audrey was just scared that this argument was the one that would end everything. She had even stormed out of his parents house and said she hoped she'd never see his face again. Yet here she sat on his porch steps. She had been unable to get in her car and drive the mere blocks to her own house. In fact she was sure she wanted Liam to come after her. She wanted the man to apologize or make her apologize for the argument. She just wanted things right between them.

Hearing the door open Audrey looked up briefly in time to see Liam sitting down beside her, "I thought you were leaving," he spoke his voice coming out a bit bitter. "I mean you said you hoped you never saw my face again."

"I didn't mean it," Audrey clarified as she shook her head. "I just got angry. You said some awful things to me as well though," she sighed knowing she didn't want another argument. "I mean saying that I'm too afraid of changing and that I'll always just live under my mom's shadow in this god forsaken town."

Liam chewed his lip as he looked away from Audrey, "Maybe I shouldn't have said that but you shouldn't have seemed so sad that my acting career is taking off. That I actually landed a gig. I mean you know I went to California for acting and not just that damn acting school."

"I know that," Audrey nodded as she chewed her own lip. "I wasn't expecting you to land something so soon though. I was expecting you to wait until college was done," she shrugged as she looked down at her hands and she began to play with the hem of the dress she had on. "What if you happen to meet some actress and forget about me."

Liam laughed at Audrey's words, "I can never forget you Auds," he sighed using the nickname that Audrey only allowed family and close friends to use. "You're my best friend," he said as one of his hands reached over for her hand that was messing with the hem of her dress. "And now you're my girlfriend as well and nothing is going to make me forget you," he smiled before bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing it.

When Liam kissed her hand Audrey felt herself blush and she almost wanted to reveal the truth that she known for three months now. The truth that she loved him but she didn't. Instead she remained silent. "I'm sorry," she finally spoke, squeezing his hand briefly. "I mean for starting the argument."

"I forgive you," Liam smiled as he let go of Audrey's hand and reached into his pocket. Taking out a black box he handed it to her. "I was going to give this to you earlier but you know we kind of had that argument."

Taking the box from Liam, Audrey opened it and smiled as she looked at the piece of jewelry that was inside. "I..it's your necklace," she said as she looked at him. "The one your dad got you for your birthday the year you made the football team in high school," she smiled as she looked down again to be greeted by his numbers that were on his jersey, eighteen.

"I wanted to give it to you," Liam nodded as he smiled more when she looked at him again. "Something for you to remember me by when we part ways again after winter break."

Audrey smiled and took the necklace out of the box before quickly putting it around her own neck. It felt right there.  
______________________________________________________________________

Kissing Liam, Audrey pulled away after awhile when she felt his hands slide up and under the shirt she had on. It was New Years Eve and they had snuck off into her bedroom while everyone else had stayed downstairs and even at nineteen she felt dirty sneaking off just to fool around with a boy even if said boy was someone she had known all her life.

"We really shouldn't," she spoke not sure if they should take things so far just yet. "It could be too soon," she whispered though Audrey knew it wasn't the fact that it could be too soon that was stopping her. She was afraid to give herself to him completely because what if it failed? She had never given herself to someone yet in that way and she knew sometimes it wasn't guaranteed that you'd end up with the person who took your virginity and god how she wanted to end up with Liam so bad.

"It's not too soon," Liam spoke his voice sounding almost reassuring to Audrey. "We've known each other for years Auds," he smiled as he leaned closer to her again. "And we've been dating for six months almost seven. We can do this and everything will be fine," he nodded before leaning in for another kiss.

Returning the kiss, Audrey let her arms slide around Liam's neck and she sighed against his lips when she felt his hand go up and under her shirt again. This time she didn't stop him. Instead she let him take her shirt off eventually and she fell back onto the bed, taking him with her as did so.

Once she was laying back she kissed him deeper, letting her own hands go up and under his shirt and she could feel him shiver at her touch. Pulling away after awhile she left his shirt off of him and threw it to the flower with her own, "Have you ever?" she asked feeling a nervousness build up in the pit of her stomach.

"Once," Liam answered as he locked eyes with Audrey. "It wasn't the best experience but she wasn't someone I cared for. I was just drunk," he admitted and Audrey smiled some as she saw the redness appearing on his cheeks. She admired that he was honest with her.

Kissing him again she felt his hands go around to undo her bra and once it had fallen off she shivered at the feeling of the necklace hanging around her neck against her bare skin. A necklace that had once used to be his.

After her bra was off, she let her hands go to his jeans and she undid them in a hurry before pushing them down with his boxers and it was only after he was naked that she pulled away from the kiss once more to admire his body. He wasn't as big as she had been expecting but she was sure she couldn't fault him for that.

It was after she got a peek at him that she kissed him again and it almost seemed like time stood still after that, especially when he finished undressing her and soon she felt his intrusion inside of her which caused her to gasp out from the pain as well as digging her nails into his back.

"You're fine," Liam muttered as his lips trailed to her neck. "You are going to be okay. I'm here and you'll be okay," he spoke in between kisses on her neck and Audrey just nodded her head.

It seemed her nod was enough and Audrey eventually felt him start to move inside of her slowly. Closing her eyes she dug her nails into the skin on his back more as she tried to grow accustomed to this new feeling and the more he kept moving in and out of her at a steady ryhtm the more she did get used to things and soon her pain was replaced by pleasure. A pleasure she couldn't quite deny.

Feeling herself start to move at the same pace as him Audrey felt her eyes close tighter when eventually she felt a wave of pleasure beginning in her stomach and spreading down lower and lower. The action making her movements get more frantic and before she knew what was happening she was moaning out Liam's name right as she felt him shudder on top of her.

When he buried his face into her neck she just smiled and held him to her as they both caught their breath. "I love you," Audrey whispered before she could even stop herself from saying those dreaded words she had realized months before.

"I love you too Auds," Liam whispered back as he moved up some to look down at her a smile playing on his lips. "I'll always love you."  
_______________________________________________________________

Coming out of her thoughts again Audrey ran a hand through her red hair, "Maybe it seeming like yesterday is a bad idea," she mused as she began to move the porch swing with her foot. "Makes me miss it some," she said knowing the last memory of losing her virginity to Liam had been painful for a number of reasons.

She had given herself to him fully and then told him she loved him but in the end none of that had mattered because they had fallen apart almost as quick as they had started dating. They had just moved too fast and maybe she had been right to be scared about having sex with him too soon. Heck maybe she shouldn't have even realized she loved him three months into the whole thing.

"Makes you miss him?" Janet asked as she gave Audrey a knowing smile. "That's how I was when your dad and I broke up once."

"Somewhat yeah," Audrey nodded feeling a bit shocked at the fact that her parents had even broke up. They had always been the epitome of a perfect romance. "You and dad broke up?" she asked raising an eyebrow curiously.

Janet nodded giving Audrey a sheepish smile, "Just once and it lasted for nine months. He thought I was scared to be in love but I wasn't. I was just scared he'd break my heart and leave me for someone else when he saw all my flaws and how I wasn't this perfect person he thought I was."

Swallowing hard Audrey tried to ignore the fact that, that was almost the exact same reasons for her break up with Liam, except she was the one who had walked away. Not saying anything she again let her mind wander to more memories of being with Liam.  
_________________________________________________________________

Standing in the middle of the hotel room Audrey shook her head as she looked at Liam. They had just got done moving the furniture in the room and she knew it was a crazy idea but he wanted to dance with her to some old songs that she swore came out of the twenties.

"Remind me again why I flew out to California to see you?" she asked as she watched him turn the radio on before putting the cd in and getting the music just right. "Because if I knew it would require heavy lifting I probably would have stayed at college in good old New York City."

"You came because it's Valentine's Day and you wanted to spend time with your charming boyfriend," Liam grinned before walking to Audrey once he had the music right. "And you love me."

Audrey smiled and let her arms slink around Liam's neck, "I do love you," she confirmed as she felt his arms slide around his waist. "Maybe I love you too much though," she said as he started to move in time with the music and a smile played on her lips as the words reached her ears. "Is this the music from that dancing scene in The Notebook?"

Liam nodded as he pulled Audrey close to him, "It is," he whispered before resting his cheek against hers as they continued to slow dance and he began to hum the old Billie Holiday song into her ear. "And there is no thing as loving me too much."

Blushing at his words Audrey closed her eyes and just danced with him and for a moment it almost felt like they were flying and no one or nothing could reach them but of course they couldn't be that lucky.  
__________________________________________________________________

Sitting in the hospital room Audrey looked at the nurse as she applied stitches into Audrey's forehead. It was the day after Valentine's Day and Audrey knew she should be on a plane back to New York but instead she sat here in some California hospital as a nurse applied stitches and Liam sat in a chair almost unresponsive.

Audrey could remember vividly how she ended up here. She and Liam had gotten into an argument on the way to the airport. He had gotten a text from some girl named Sophia and she had accused him of cheating on her, especially when he had been untruthful at first by who the text had came from.

The argument had started at the hotel and carried over into the car. A fact that had lead them both here. Liam hadn't been paying attention to the road or the other cars and somehow he had braked too soon and wound up hitting the car in front of them, an action that had caused his car to be totaled and glass had went flying everywhere, some of it landing on her and causing the cut that was on her head and being stitched up.

Once the nurse had left the room after she was all stitched up Audrey was thankful that the nurse had said she could leave and as she stood up she paused when she looked at Liam who was sitting in the chair. It was then that she noticed he was crying.

"Li?" Audrey asked as she bent down some and looked up at him. The sight of him crying was enough to make her misty eyed as well.

"I'm sorry," Liam choked out as he looked at Audrey when she bent down in front of him. "I'm so sorry you are hurt. It's my fault. It's all my fault."

Audrey shook her head as she looked at Liam, taking his hands in her own, "It's not your fault," she reassured him as she squeezed his hand. "It's really not. I shouldn't have been egging you on during the argument," she sighed as she stood up some and sat down in Liam's lap.

Liam slid his arms around Audrey's lap, "I love you," he said before pecking her lips. "I never want to see you hurt," he sighed before resting his forehead on her shoulder.

"I'm not hurt," Audrey said knowing that yes physically she was but mentally she was fine now. "Now come on, let's call a cab and get a hotel. I'll fly back to New York tomorrow. Right now I just want to spend time with you showing you how much I love you."  
_______________________________________________________________________

After that last memory Audrey frowned as she felt tears stinging her eyes. That last memory had been the beginning of the end of their relationship.

"I think I should go inside," Audrey said to her mom as she stood up from the swing and headed inside. She just wanted to take a nap and forget the trip down memory lane that she was taking. She had though this would be a comfort to her but it wasn't. Instead it hurt too much for it to be a comfort.

Sighing when she made it to her room she laid down on the bed and closed her eyes. Maybe once she went to sleep she wouldn't be tormented with thoughts of Liam or the fact that she was beginning to regret that she had let him go. That she was envious someone else would be his wife.  
____________________________________________________________________

Audrey rolled her eyes as she sat on the edge of the bed in Liam's hotel room. It was the weekend of her twentieth birthday and he had flown out to see her but of course nothing had gone right. Nothing seemed to ever go right for them since the damn car wreck two months ago.

"I just don't get why she is calling you," Audrey spoke though her voice raised slightly and she crossed her arms as she looked at Liam with a glare. "You say this Sophia chick is just a friend but she is calling you at almost midnight. Hell I've seen your facebook posts, you spend every waking hour with her it seems."

"That's not true Auds," Liam defended as he returned Audrey's glare. "She's a friend and cast mate in that gig I have. I have told you this countless times."

Audrey shook her head as she stood from the bed, "And I don't believe you," she spat knowing what her words meant. She didn't trust him or his words. "I mean how could you want me? I've seen her and she's prettier and I wouldn't blame you if you want her," she confessed as she shook her head. "Maybe you should be with her anyway," she nodded as she walked towards the door slightly.

"You don't mean that," Liam spoke as he walked closer to Audrey, his pain showing on his face. "I don't want anyone but you."

"Too bad then," Audrey replied so nonchalant, trying not to show her emotions right now. "Because I am letting you go. I'm letting you go before you can hurt me," she whispered before turning her back to him and leaving the hotel room. Running to the elevators she pressed the button and got on quickly wanting to make sure Liam couldn't come after her. She didn't want to be chased. She didn't want to change her mind.

After the elevator doors closed Audrey hit the button for the lobby and then broke down in tears.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Forcing a smile as she parked her car in the full church parking lot several months after getting Liam's wedding invitation Audrey got out of her car. She may have regretted breaking up with Liam and she may have wished that today was her big day but in the end she had decided to come to the wedding and support him. He had been her friend first and maybe they could get that back at least. They hadn't even had that since their breakup.

"So what's his bride's name again?" Janet asked as she got out of her daughter's car and fixed her dress before walking in time with Audrey as they walked to the church doors.

"Sophia," Audrey whispered her voice cracking as she said the girls name. "Her name is Sophia."


End file.
